Jacksonville launches first autonomous shuttle service in the United States
By Luke Willetts - 11th September 2025
Jacksonville FL autonomous shuttle
USA – Jacksonville has become the first U.S. city to launch an autonomous public transport line. The service, branded NAVI (Neighbourhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation), began operations in July 2025 along a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) stretch of Bay Street in the city’s downtown core. The fleet consists of 14 fully electric Ford e-Transit vans, retrofitted into passenger shuttles and equipped with automated driving software developed by British company Oxa Autonomy Ltd.
The service currently operates at Level 3 autonomy: the vehicles are capable of self-driving along mapped urban routes, managing stops, intersections, and traffic signals, but a trained safety operator remains in the cab to take control if necessary. The plan is to progress towards Level 4 driverless operation in the coming years.
